The monastery of Sanahin is a walled complex of stone churches, chapels, and auxiliary buildings that grew between the 10th and 13th centuries. The main Church of the Redeemer dates from 966 AD and stands alongside the smaller Church of the Mother of God, built a few decades later. Between them, the gavit (narthex) added in the 12th century is an architectural masterpiece — a large covered hall supported by intersecting arches, designed to let in light while keeping out rain and snow.
The stonework throughout is beautiful: carved khachkars (cross-stones) lean against walls, and the detail on the capitals and doorframes rewards close inspection. The setting adds enormously to the experience. The monastery sits on a plateau above the Debed gorge, with forested hills falling away in every direction. In 1996 it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List together with the monastery at Haghpat, its counterpart across the valley. Allow at least an hour, more if you want to photograph the details properly. Entry is free.